This is a version of yu xiang qie zi, fish flavoured aubergine, so called because the flavours are usually used with fish. Here the Szechuan flavour comes not in its usual peppercorn form but in a Szechuan chilli bean paste. Buy Chinese black vinegar from Waitrose, souschef.co.uk, or Asian supermarkets. Leave the pork out to make this vegetarian. Looking for aubergine recipes? We’ve got more here.

Try our easy chargrilled baby squid and prawns with crispy bits. In this recipe we’ve used Szechuan peppercorns which aren’t a traditional Vietnamese ingredient, but they give this dish some citrussy heat. You can make the crispy bits ahead of time.

Check out this easy vegan mapo tofu recipe from the new Taiwanese restaurant XU in London’s Chinatown. This super simple recipe takes no time at all to make and is packed with flavour with the use of both whole and ground Szechuan peppercorns. Try our tofu recipes here.

Our hot and spicy Chinese-style noodles, seasoned with ground Szechuan peppercorns, only take 15 minutes to whip up so they’d make a great quick and easy mid-week meal if you’re stuck for time or craving some healthy, low cal fast food.

This Kung Pao shrimp recipe is a really low calorie stir-fry and is served in a homemade sauce with noodles or rice. The Szechuan peppercorns and chilli flakes add some spice to the prawns while the cashew nuts add a crunchy texture to the dish. Here are our top prawn recipes to try.

Regional Chinese cuisines are slowly spreading across the UK, breaking the hold of Hong Kong style Cantonese cuisine. In this recipe the smacked cucumber is stir fried with whole Szechuan peppercorns and chilli. It is traditionally a beer snack, so you can serve it with drinks, or use it as a side dish.